General / Hot Coding Topics

Avoid These 5 Major Modifier Errors to Keep Your Cash Flowing

Reporting modifier 78 for a staged procedure? Expect denials.

When it comes to appending CPT® modifiers to your codes, the rules can be daunting, and Medicare’s regulations only compound the confusion. But if you’re up to speed on these key modifier billing practices, you’ll be raking in deserved pay.

Check out the following five tips to ensure that you aren’t missing any opportunities.

1. Don’t Avoid Modifier 26.

If your physician provides an interpretation and report for an x-ray or other radiological service in the treatment of a patient, that’s not always just part of his E/M—in some cases, you can separately bill for the interpretation and report by appending modifier 26 (Professional component) to the CPT® code.

Typically, the technologist that performed the patient’s x-ray will bill the code — such as 71010 (Radiologic examination, chest; single view, frontal) — with modifier TC (Technical component) to indicate that he is billing for the equipment, room charge, film and radiologic technician, but not for the physician’s interpretation. If the physician who renders the interpretation is with a separate professional group and is not a hospital employee, you should report the service with modifier 26 to obtain his proper share of the reimbursement.

2. Know the Difference Between Modifiers 58 and 78.

Because both modifier 58 and 78 describe procedures performed during another surgery’s global period, it can be easy to confuse them. But differentiating between the two can mean the difference between collecting your due and filing endless appeals.

Key: You’ll report modifier 78 (Unplanned return to the operating room for a related procedure during the postoperative period) when conditions arising from the initial surgery (complications) rather than the patient’s condition...

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July 20, 2011
Coding Challenge

How Should You Report Cannulation of Colovesical Fistula?

Question: I’m unsure how to code for cannulation of colovesical fistula. The doctor also did a cystoscopy with bilateral retrogrades and bladder biopsies. How should I report this procedure? Answer: There is no specific CPT code for cannulation of th...

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March 13, 2011
Hot Coding Topics

A-Scans: Report Denial Proof 76511 Claim With Accurate Bilateral, Modifier Reporting

One of the most common procedures in ophthalmology is A-scan ultrasound biometry, which is associated with some of the most uncommon coding problems.

According to CPT, A-scans — 76511, 76516, and 76519 — are the shortened names for amplitude modulation scans, “one-dimensional ultrasonic measurement procedures,” notes Maggie M. Mac, CPC, CEMC, CHC, CMM, ICCE, Director, Best Practices-Network Operations at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

Ophthalmologists use 76511 (Ophthalmic ultrasound, diagnostic; quantitative A-scan only) to diagnose eye-related complications such as eye tumors, hemorrhages, retinal detachment, etc.

Physicians use 76516 (Ophthalmic biometry by ultrasound echography, A-scan) to measure the axial length of the eye in preparation for cataract surgery.

And 76519 (Ophthalmic biometry by ultrasound echography, A-scan; with intraocular lens power calculation) allows ophthalmologists to determine the intraocular lens calculation prior to cataract surgery only.

Typically, most A-scans are performed bilaterally. However, circumstances may only require the physician to perform a unilateral scan.

Each A-scan code has separate requirements when billed bilaterally. For example, payers consider 76511 unilateral, requiring the use of modifiers LT/RT/50 (Left side/Right side/Bilateral procedure) or the units value of “2.”

But 76516 is inherently bilateral, so you shouldn’t append modifier 50 to it.

For CPT Code 76519, some payers (including Medicare) consider only the technical component bilateral whereas the professional component is unilateral.

Some non-Medicare payers, on the other hand, want you to bill globally and don’t typically divide the professional and technical components, so you must determine which insurance company you are coding for and what its policy is for billing A-scans.

Medicare carriers for Part B services have published articles specifying their preference to report a bilateral service with a single line item with modifier 50 and one unit of service, whereas [some] non-Medicare payers prefer reporting bilateral services with two line items...

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March 12, 2011
Tips

Pre-Cataract Surgery Coding Myths You Should Bust

Improperly coding IOL Masters or A-scans can cost your practice $30 per patient.

Calculating intraocular lens power for patients facing cataract surgery has gotten more precise as A-scan and IOL Master technology has advanced. But to make sure your practice is getting fairly reimbursed each time, you need to understand the bilateral rules for 76519 and 92136.

Could one of these myths be damaging your claims?

Include Bilateral and Unilateral Components in Global Code

Myth: If the ophthalmologist calculates IOL power in both eyes, you should report 76519 (Ophthalmic biometry by ultrasound echography, A-scan; with intraocular lens power calculation) or 92136 (Ophthalmic biometry by partial coherence interferometry with intraocular lens power calculation) twice (e.g., 76519-RT and 76519-LT, or 76519-50).

Reality: You should not report 76519 or 92136 with modifier 50 even if the ophthalmologist calculated the IOL power of both eyes, warns Maggie M. Mac, CPC, CEMC, CHC, CMM, ICCE, Director, Best Practices-Network Operations at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. To understand why, it’s helpful to know how Medicare’s Physician Fee Schedule values the procedures.

As it does with many other diagnostic tests, CMS divides the A-scan (76519) and the IOL Master (92136) into two components. The technical component (the actual performing of the test) is denoted with modifier TC, and the professional component (viewing and interpreting the results) is denoted with modifier 26.

For most procedures, the technical and professional components have the same bilateral status – for example, 92250-TC and 92250-26 (Fundus photography with interpretation and report) are both considered inherently bilateral, denoted with modifier indicator “2” on the fee schedule. The reimbursement for all components of 92250 is based on both eyes being tested.

Exception: For both 76519 and 92136, the technical component has a different bilateral status from the professional component. You can find...

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August 26, 2010
Coding Challenge / E/M / modifier 25 / modifier 26 / radiology

Use 3 CPT, Modifier, and ICD-9 Code Pairs to Ace This X-Ray Claim

Decipher why you should include a seconding diagnosis.

Question: A 38-year-old patient presents to the emergency room with complaints of wheezing, coughing, and trouble catching her breath. After the nonphysician practitioner (NPP) performs a problem-focused history, the physician performs a detailed history and exam and discovers focal ronchi. The physician orders a two-view chest x-ray to check for upper respiratory infection (URI) The chest x-ray results reveal acute URI, and the ronchi clears up upon reevaluation. The patient is treated with antibiotics. How should I code this scenario?

Answer:You’ll submit two of each for this claim: CPT codes, modifiers,and ICD-9 codes. On the claim, report the following:

  • 71020 (Radiologic examination, chest, 2 views, frontal and lateral) for the x-ray
  • Modifier 26 (Professional component) appended 71020 to show that you are coding for the physician’s services only
  • 99284 (Emergency department visit for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these 3 key components: A detailed history; A detailed examination;and Medical decision making of moderate complexity….) for the E/M
  • Modifier 25 (Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the same day of the procedure or other service) appended to 99284 show that the E/M and the x-rays were separate services
  • 465.9 (Acute upper respiratory infections of multiple or unspecified sites; unspecified site) appended to 71020 and 99284 to represent the patient’s URI
  • 786.7 (Symptoms involving respiratory system and other chest symptoms; abnormal chest sounds) appended to 71020 and 99284 to represent the patient’s focal ronchi.

Secondary Dx decoded: Even though the focal ronchi cleared up on reexamination, you should still include 786.7 on the claim. It will help paint a more lucid portrait of the patient’s condition, and can only strengthen your medical necessity case for the chest-x-ray.

@ Part B Insider. Editor:...

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May 24, 2010
Coding Challenge / modifier 26

Hip Injection With Fluoro — Is Coding Both Allowed?

You have two options depending on how the physician performed the procedure.

Question: Our orthopedist administered a hip injection under fluoroscopy. Can I report both codes?

Wyoming Subscriber

Answer: You can code both the injection and fluoroscopy, but the correct choices depend on how your physician completed the procedure.

Option 1: If your orthopedist injected radiopaque dye and performed the arthrography concurrently, code the procedure with 27093 (Injection procedure for hip arthrography; without anesthesia).

Option 2: If he completed the guidance and injection as separate procedures, submit 20610 (Arthrocentesis, aspiration, and/or injection; major joint or bursa [e.g., shoulder, hip, knee joint, subacromial bursa]) for the injection. Include 77002 (Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement [e.g., biopsy, aspiration, injection, localization device]) for the fluoroscopic guidance.

Remember to append modifier 26 (Professional component) to 77002 because your physician performed the service but doesn’t own the fluoroscopy equipment.

SI change: If the physician injects the sacroiliac joint instead of the hip joint, choose either 20610 (Arthrocentesis, aspiration, and/or injection; major joint or bursa [e.g., shoulder, hip, knee joint, subacromial bursa]) or 27096 (Injection procedure for sacroiliac joint, arthrography and/or anesthetic/steroid).

@ Orthopedic Coding Alert. Editor: Leigh DeLozier, CPC

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May 20, 2010
Coder's Cranium

Medical Coders, Prime Your Diagnostic Test Documentation For Sure-Fire Success

Technical and professional components hold your clues.

What do insurers expect for documentation of tympanometry or other diagnostic tests? That’s the question Pediatric Coding Alert subscriber Paula Escobar with Riverside Pediatric Group asked, so we went looking for answers.

Starting...

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April 5, 2010
CMS / Hot Coding Topics / modifier PA / modifier PB / modifier PC / modifier TC / Modifiers / surgery

Surgical Modifiers: Protect Yourself From Instant ‘PC’ Claim Denials

Don’t let ‘wrong surgery’ modifier mistakes stall your reimbursement.

You use modifier TC for the technical component of a test. So logically, you should use modifier PC for the professional component, right? Wrong. But many coders are making that mistake...

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March 18, 2010
Hot Coding Topics / modifier 26 / RAC

Audits: HDI RAC Targets TC, Modifier 26 & More

Want to know what RAC contractors will be looking for next? Here’s the link. Recovery audit contractors (RACs) are working hard to expand their lists of approved issues, and you should keep a close eye on your services in these areas as well. Health Data Insights (HDI), the RAC contractor for Region D, posted 66 new approved [...] Related articles:

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January 26, 2010
Coding Challenge / modifier 52 / multiple wake test

Can a Sleep Study Code Describe an Awake Test?

Question: A sleep study was ordered for a patient diagnosed with hypersomnolence. The neurologistincluded a multiple wake test in the sleep study. What CPT code should I use for the multiple wake test? Answer: You should use 95805 (Multiple sleep latency or maintenance of wakefulness testing, recording, analysis and interpretation of physiological measurements of sleep during [...] Related articles:

  1. Protect Sleep Study Pay With These Documentation Essentials How to keep your polysomnography claims off Medicare’s hit...
  2. Sleep Study Reimbursement: How to Claim Your Piece of the Pie Medicare promises to cover facility and home-based testing —...
  3. CMS: Apnea is Key for Sleep Testing Coverage Medicare benes who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)...

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November 29, 2009